I tried to enjoy this book as much as I loved Shadow and Bone, but it never really hooked me. It felt like it lacked a consistent pace, and sometimes lurched ahead without warning. Situations came and went so fast, I felt like content had been cut that would have explained or had it play out better. It wasn't all bad as Nikolai is a wonderful character, and I really enjoyed any conversation he was a part of. Tamar and Tolya were two other stand out characters this time around. I'm hoping Ruin and Rising can recapture the magic from the 1st book. 3 out of 5.